Difference
by FluffySnowflake
Summary: Link is vibrant and carefree. Around Sheik, however, he becomes quiet and serious. The reason? Sheik plans on finding out. Soft, soft slash.


I have no clue where this came from. I was sitting there, playing a game (not even LOZ), when BAM! I have a whole oneshot planned out. This was really random.

This fic is set after OOT, but with no time reset. Also, Sheik is his own, male person. This is written in his point of view.

Hmm... I don't really know how to categorize this. It's kinda slashy, but not really. I wrote it with slash in mind, but I suppose it could be considered close friendship. Whatever it is, it is pure FLUFF!

That being said, this is only rated K+. It could probably just be K, but oh well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda or its characters.

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Something was troubling me. Well, not so much _something_ as _someone_. Something about him was eating away at me.

I am not obsessive. I am not used to an excessive amount of free time, either. After Ganondorf was defeated, Princess Zelda decided that I had served the Royal Family enough to last for a long while, and ordered me to, and I quote, "Relax and enjoy life for once."

However, this free time, suddenly given to me after seventeen years of constant training, service, and danger, only led to one thing. I was bored.

I am generally not a curious person. If there is knowledge that I need to know, I obtain it. Everything else is unimportant. Recently, however, I have come to care about trivial things. I blame this newfound curiosity on Link.

Yes, Link, the Hero of Time, Savior of Hyrule. The childlike, determined, brave hero. The current object of my frustrations.

Not only being a Sheikah, but also having gone through even more rigorous training than a normal Sheikah, I am very skilled in many things. One is my sharp observing skills. I can spot a man hiding in shadows from across Hyrule field. I can notice the almost nonexistent change in the air as a monster approaches. I can hear words whispered through a raging storm.

However, with all the free time I've had recently, I've noticed something about Link that has begun to bother me.

He treats me differently than anyone else.

Link is childlike, full of innocence and energy. He is constantly moving, and hates being cooped up inside. With his heart on his sleeve, he voices his emotions and opinions freely.

All of this changes, however, when he is around me. He becomes quiet and still. It gets to the point where I cannot tell what he is thinking. He shuts down.

When we first met, while he was on his quest to awaken the Sages, I understood the way he acted around me. I was a stranger who he didn't know, and he had been thrust into a world where two out of every three people he met were trying to kill him.

Later, as he began to get used to me, he still acted the same way towards me. He was never cold, but he was never open, either. Somehow, he trusted me, but still became reserved around me. I began to believe that was the way he acted around everyone; he had grown up in the forest after all.

After Ganondorf was defeated, however, I realized that wasn't the case. Link was his usual, carefree self with anyone else. As I began to pay attention, I noticed this more and more. It began to bother me, more than I knew it should.

Was Link uncomfortable around me? Did I scare him? Perhaps, did he truly dislike me? I wanted to know.

One simple afternoon, I stealthily approached one of the castle's inner courtyards, where I knew Link would be. Even in this time of peace, the hero refused to slack in his training. Afterwards, he would nap in the shade. I hoped to catch him as such.

As luck would have it, he was already asleep when I approached him, stretched out beneath a large shade tree. I climbed the tree silently, perching on one of the lower branches, and watched Link. His face was peaceful, his breathing even, and his golden hair shone in the dappled light streaming down past the treetop. I watched as the light flitted across his cheekbones when the wind blew the leaves around.

"What are you doing?"

I jumped, nearly falling out of the tree. Link opened one eye to look up at me. Grinning, he sat up to look at me. Trying to salvage some of my dignity, I dropped from my perch to sit beside him, leaning back against the tree.

"I was coming to see what you were doing," I informed him.

"I just finished training."

"Hm," I grunted in reply, closing my eyes and listening to the breeze rustle the leaves above me.

After a moment, it became apparent the Link wasn't going to say anything, and I cracked one eye open to look at him. He was sitting, blue eyes watching me, without making a sound. He was still, not even shifting. I frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, forehead creasing in concern. "You're frowning."

"How did you know?" I asked, checking my cowl. It hadn't slipped down any. Link shook his head.

"Your eyes get sad, and your forehead creases when you frown."

I stared at Link. He was never this serious, even while fighting. Irritated, I shook my head.

"Nothing's wrong, hero," I said, and he stiffened.

"Something's wrong," he shook his head. "You only call me that when you're bothered by something."

"Nothing's wrong, _Link_," I emphasized his name. He shook his head again.

"You tilt your head when you lie."

I stared at him in shock. This man, who could miss Ruto flirting with him (and it was quite obvious), not realize that Zelda was taller than him (he had been shocked when he finally realized the fact), and not even know that his lifelong friend Saria was, indeed, right-handed, could somehow read me like an open book.

"Why do you do that?" I asked, frustrated, before wanting to kick myself for letting my emotions get advantage of me. Link's eyes widened.

"What did I do?" he asked, bewildered.

"Why do you treat me differently than everyone else?" since I had already started, I figured it would be best to get everything out, so I continued. "You're always still around me, like you're afraid to make sudden movements. You're so quiet around me, it's disconcerting. Most of all, you're serious when I'm around. You're never like that around anyone else! Why?"

Link looked at me, mouth agape. Suddenly, he smiled, eyes full of innocent amusement.

"There's a good reason why for all of those things, why I'm like that around you. Do you want to know why?"

I nodded wordlessly, and Link smiled.

"I'm always still around you, because I want to focus on watching you move. You're so graceful, no matter what you do. I love to watch you."

I could feel my eyes widening, but Link wasn't finished.

"I always make sure I'm quiet when you're around, so I can hear you. Even though you don't talk a lot, your body speaks in its own way. Your breathing, your footsteps... everything about you speaks to me, and I don't want to miss a thing."

I'm sure my mouth dropped open at that point, but Link continued.

"Mostly, though, I'm serious around you, because I want you to know that I'm serious about us, about whatever we have between us."

Link finished, dropping his gaze to his lap, playing with his hands in a sudden fit of nervousness.

"Do you mean that?" I asked. He looked up at me.

"Every word."

I sat there, letting his words sink in, before my lips curled up in a smile. I could tell that Link saw it, because the corner of his lips twitched upwards.

"I like that," I said honestly, and there it was, his bright, broad smile that I loved so much.

Yes, Link treated me different than anyone else.

I liked this difference, though.

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Well, that was short. And fluffily cheesy. :D Like I said, I have no idea where that came from. It's just random fluff. XD

That was actually my first time writing a Legend of Zelda story that wasn't completely AU.

What did you think? I love reviews. They're like pie: they solve math problems and give kids sugar rushes. Give me some pie-like reviews, please! :D

-Snow- 


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